Exhale
by Jesmichan
Summary: SPOILERS; One-shot; takes place in the immediate aftermath of Spider-Man: Far From Home; rated T for some mature language


"_What the fuck_!?"

_Leap_ _off the lamppost_, _web a nearby building_, _swing away_. Pete doesn't even think about his actions as he launches himself into the air. He looks back at the massive screen, his yearbook photo still plastered up there for everyone to see.

"Peter!" MJ is still down there. She calls after him, but he doesn't turn around.

_Gotta keep moving_. _Gotta find Aunt May_.

He flies towards the Ed Koch, crosses the East River into Brooklyn, into Queens. His suit's heads-up display beeps a _call-incoming_ notification at him. Sam Wilson's face appears on the augmented reality lens.

"Peter, I just saw the news."

"Fal- Cap- Mister Wilson, I can't talk right now, I gotta to get home, get back to my Aunt, gotta-"

"I get it, Peter. Don't worry, do your thing, make sure your people are safe. Then come to the Avengers compound upstate."

Pete almost misses the next building with his web in shock. "What for?" _Do they think_\- "Everything Mysterio said was a lie! I wasn't in charge of those drones, I-"

"Calm down, man, it's not that. I talked to Fury, he vouches for you. I want you upstate so that we can make sure you're safe while we handle this. You're an Avenger, Peter. We take care of our own."

"I…" Peter trails off. He doesn't have the words, any words, beyond, "...thank you, sir."

"Don't worry, Peter. We're gonna take care of this. Let me know when you're on your way to the compound."

Peter nods, then remembers he's on a phone call. "Yeah, okay. Will do. Thanks. Again." The line cuts.

Finally he lands on the wall outside his bedroom window. His Peter Ting- _Spider-Sense, it's my Spider-Sense- _his Spider-Sense goes off, and he follows it with his eyes until he sees the news van screaming down the road toward his building. It skids to a halt just outside and the crew leaps out, grabbing gear and pointing up at him.

Pete rips the window open and flings himself through. He tears off his mask. "Aunt May!"

She's there in an instant. "_Peter_." She hugs him, holds him in close. He hugs her back, remembering at the last second to power down his strength enough so he doesn't crush her.

May pulls back, arms still clasping his, looking at him. "I just saw the news. Peter, what they're saying about you, about London-"

"It's not true!" Pete's voice is high pitched, almost squeaking out. "I was telling the drones to shut down, to stop hurting people, I-" His voice cracks, breaks, tears coming down.

May tugs him in again. They hug for a solid minute.

_Bangbangbangbangbang_

They turn to the door. May takes a step towards it, but Pete holds out a hand. "It's the press. They must have found my address somewhere online, or, I dunno, it doesn't matter."

He turns toward her, his eyes clear again. "Aunt May, I need to go. Falcon- Cap- Mister Wilson is still at the base Upstate, I'm gonna go there, try to hide out while-"

May nods. Tears are in her eyes, and then they're in his too, and _God_ he has the absolute best aunt in the whole world and he _doesn't want to go I don't want to go I just want to stay here and be in school and go out with MJ and hang out with Ned and- oh shit, _Ned_!_

"I'll start grabbing stuff, you pack your clothes." May squeezes his arms one more time then speeds around the apartment, throwing together a go-bag. Pete reaches into the pocket at the small of his suit's back and takes out his cell, dial's Ned's number, waits.

_Click_.

"_WHAT THE FUCK?!_"

"That's what I said!"

"Peter, what is going on?! That Johnson guy-"

"Jameson-"

"-said _you_ were in charge of those drones that attacked London?! But it was Mysterio! You were fighting him! What-?"

"Ned, I know, I saw, I panicked, I _can'tbelieveIleftMJinTimesSquareshe'sgoingtokillme_, okay, okay, _okay_." Pete takes a breath, in, out. "Ned, I'm going. Upstate. Avengers."

"Omigod omigod _Peter_! But- you- school! You're gonna miss class!"

"Ned, I just got _outed as a superhero_. I can't go to class anymore."

"Jeez… hey, want me to come with you?"

On a regular day Pete would have smacked his forehead if Ned had said something like that. Today, though, hearing the genuine _concern_ in his best friend's voice, realizing that Ned was _absolutely serious_ about leaving his life behind for Pete…

"Peter, are you crying? I don't have to come if you don't want-"

"Ganke Edward Leeds I _love _you. You should stay here, with MJ and Aunt May, like, you should definitely _definitely_ stay here, but… thanks, man."

Ned is silent for a few seconds. Pete hears a loud sniff over the phone, then, "Any time, brother. I love you too, man."

"I have to pack. I'll call you when I'm upstate."

"Copy that, Peter. Good luck."

"Bye, Ned."

"Bye, Pete."

_Click_.

Pete sits down on his bed. Aunt May comes in with a bag, drops it by the door. "You've got some food for the road, your toiletries, all the-"

His phone rings. Pete looks down at the contact, stands straight up. May sees it, eyes wide, and backs out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Pete answers the call. "...Sorry about leaving you behind."

"It's okay, Pete." MJ's voice is tight, just like in London after she kissed him the first time. "I'm just- are you okay?"

Pete sighs. "I… I don't know, MJ. I'm packing right now, gonna go upstate, hide out with the Avengers for a little bit, and I…"

"You're leaving? RIght now?" He can feel the pain in her voice.

"MJ, I can't stay here, not with-"

"Peter, of course you can't stay. You just got outed as a superhero, and also totally framed for a whole lotta bad stuff. I just…" She trails off. She doesn't have to say anything else. Pete knows.

"MJ-" His voice is breaking, the tears coming back with a vengeance.

A knock at his door. "Peter, the nice news people outside are getting very loud."

"MJ, I gotta go before CNN breaks down my Aunt's door. I'll call you when I get there?"

"You better," she chokes on a half-laugh, half-sob.

"MJ, I-"

"Me too."

Silence, for a moment.

"I'll call. Bye, MJ."

"Stay safe, Pete."

_Click_.

Pete stands, walks out of his room, finds May sitting on the couch in front of the television. She looks up at him, gestures at the screen.

"Hey look, we're on TV."

An overhead shot of their block. Half a dozen other news vans had joined the first. A cut, down to ground level with an on-the-scene anchor. The sound is off, thankfully, so Pete can't hear whatever it is they are saying about him.

Aunt May stands, hugs Pete one more time. She holds him for a long time, then pulls back, reaching a hand forward to brush at his hair, his cheek.

"I love you so much, Peter."

"I love you too, Aunt May."

"You had better call me the _second_ you're there."

"I will, I will, I promise."

"The _second_-"

"I will, Aunt May!" He chokes out a laugh, she does the same. They're suddenly laughing hysterically. This whole situation, awful, absurd, ridiculous, terrifying.

They both manage to calm down. Pete stands tall, grabs his packed bags, heads to the window in his room. He looks back at Aunt May standing in the door. She smiles at him, tears running down her cheeks. He tries to smile back, but it ends up more like a grimace.

_Mask on_. _Open the window_, _swing out over the vans_, _head toward the northbound train tracks out of Grand Central_.

The crowd of reporters below him shout and point as he flies overhead. Three news choppers are chasing after him, but he manages to slip them once he gets back across the river to Manhattan. Pete lands on top of the library at Bryant Park, changes out of his suit. He sneaks down the wall and lands behind a dumpster, then goes out onto the street with a baseball cap pulled down over his eyes.

Inside Grand Central, at his track. As the other passengers board, he slips around the edge of the last car and climbs on top. The train leaves the station, leaves the city, Pete tucked on the roof, speeding into New York State.

He takes in a deep breath.

_Spider-Man's name is Peter Parker!_

Exhales.


End file.
